New York City’s transportation infrastructure is getting a significant upgrade as construction advances on the $121 million Harper Street Department of Transportation administration building and yard redevelopment in Willets Point, Queens. The project is located at 32-11 Harper Street and is intended to modernize a key operational hub that supports roadway repair and fleet services.
The initiative is being delivered by a public-sector and design-build team that includes the New York City Department of Design and Construction and the New York City Department of Transportation, working with lead architect Urbahn Architects, design excellence architect Selldorf Architects, and builder Scalamandre-Tully JV. Together, they are overhauling the existing maintenance yard, which has been in service since 1934.
The current facilities are described as obsolete and deteriorated, no longer meeting modern standards for operations, safety, or resiliency. In response, NYC DOT is redeveloping its 160,000-square-foot Queens Roadway Repair and Maintenance & Fleet Services maintenance yard to better support around-the-clock activity. The yard operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and accommodates more than 300 Roadway Repair & Maintenance and Fleet Services field employees, along with warehousing and administrative staff.
The redevelopment program calls for the design and construction of three new structures on the site. The largest component is a five-story administration and personnel building with integrated warehouse space, totaling 72,820 square feet. This primary building is expected to consolidate key functions and improve internal workflows for staff and vehicle movements.
Supporting structures include a two-story, 1,849-square-foot washbay building and a 100-square-foot precast concrete security booth designed to resist flooding and severe storm events. These improvements are intended to enhance on-site safety for both pedestrians and vehicles while reinforcing the facility’s resilience to climate-related risks.
According to Urbahn Architects associate principal Ijeoma D. Iheanacho, the redesigned Harper Street yard is structured to resolve current site limitations by creating more efficient workflows and traffic pathways, boosting pedestrian and vehicular safety, and providing greater protection from flooding. The project is also incorporating sustainable design strategies with the goal of achieving LEED Gold certification, reflecting the city’s broader emphasis on resilient and environmentally conscious public facilities.
Once complete, the modernized complex is expected to provide NYC DOT with a more functional, safe, and sustainable operational base to support roadway maintenance and fleet services in Queens.
